8 Podcasts Hosted by WOC to Make Your Commute Breeze By

Whether you’re looking to laugh, meditate, or get motivated, this list of podcasts will keep you entertained on the way to work.

As a long-time resident of Los Angeles, I can say with confidence that podcasts have saved my life (and the lives of neighboring motorists) on more than one occasion.

Though scientists have yet to confirm my theory, I’m pretty confident that attempting to reconcile the amount of time it takes to traverse mere miles in rush hour traffic can take actual years off of your life. Rather than sit in traffic and sulk, I set out to find a range of podcasts that would effectively talk me off of the ledge so that I arrive at work in a somewhat pleasant mood. Whether you’re in the mood for pop culture tea, a little #MondayMotivation or political commentary, this list of podcasts hosted by women of color has your commute covered:

BlackGirlinOM.com is a great general resource for women of color seeking to improve their relationship with their minds, bodies and souls, so it makes sense that two of the women behind the wellness website — Founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory — would create a podcast that reflects that ethos. Black Girl in Om (BGIO) invites yogis, holistic life coaches and other innovators in self-love and care to come on the show and share their lifestyles with listeners. You’ll pick up pointers on how to eat clean and create space for creativity, and every podcast ends with a short meditation to help you reset before you head into the office.

You might recognize Tracy G’s signature sarcasm from the popular radio show Sway in the Morning, which she still co-hosts. Whereas Sway in the Morning is all pop culture commentary, She’s Beauty in the Beast broadens its scope to uplift and inspire women. No topic is off limits, and previous guests have included a tarot-reading mystic, a dominatrix and music mogul Diddy. New episodes premiere every Tuesday, and check out her Affirmations EP for some on-demand inspiration.

CurlBOX founder Myleik Teele offers herself as a mobile mentor to millennial women on her podcast My Taught You. She speaks candidly about her mental health journey and how she balances the demands of a CEO lifestyle with self-care. Submit a question for her to answer on the show and you’ll be surprised by her in-depth, thoughtful answers. My Taught You is the perfect podcast to keep you motivated if you’re counting the days until you branch off and begin working for yourself.

I stumbled upon the Sooo Many White Guys podcast during an extended layover and, before I knew it, I’d binged an entire season. Hosted by comedian and author Phoebe Robinson (who does double duty as the co-host of 2DopeQueens, another must-listen podcast), Sooo Many White Guys invites performers, musicians and artists on the show to dish about whatever topic Phoebe lands on. With occasional cameos by producer and Broad City co-creator Ilana Glazer, Sooo Many White Guys will have you crying tears of laughter. In an industry dominated by white guys’ mansplanations, Sooo Many White Guys is refreshingly diverse.

Spirit Medicine is a new podcast from BlackGirlDangerous (BGD), a non-profit project that amplifies the voices of queer and trans people of color. Hosted by BGD contributors CarmenLeah Ascencio and ChE, the podcast guides listeners to healing, wellness and liberation in Trump’s America. With rituals, tools and conversations devoted to supporting the systematically disenfranchised, Spirit Medicine will refuel your soul to help you contend with out-of-touch coworkers.

Inner Hoe Rising is a podcast from Queens native Samantha Riddell on the hilarious ups and downs of her polyamorous lifestyle. She invites “co-hoes” on the weekly podcast to commiserate with her about dating, sex and love in your 20s. It’s basically like being invited to an audio slumber party where no topic is off limits.

As the title would suggest, #GoodMuslimBadMuslim began with a hashtag. Hosts Tanzila “Taz” Ahmed and Zahra Noorbakhsh were having a good-natured conversation over Twitter about the perceptions of Muslim women and the judgments they receive from those within and outside of the Muslim community. That conversation has snowballed into a monthly podcast that dissects political news and gives listeners a glimpse into what it means to be Muslim in America.

Another uplifting podcast hosted by two Black women living in Queens, We Come From Queens helps millennials adjust to the new rules of adulthood, dating and wellness. How can we fully embody our queendom in a world so committed to cutting us down? Tune in biweekly as hosts Monique and Cadacia attempt to figure it out.

Danielle is an LA-based writer/editor and moonlights as a tarot reader. Her work has appeared in Rogue Magazine, Scripps College Magazine, LA CANVAS, The Africa Channel, Matador Network, Autostraddle, and FORM Magazine. She is the founder/organizer of Free the Nipple Yoga, a monthly women's workshop that promotes body positivity and empowerment. You can visit her personal blog at DanielleDorky.com.